KEARNEY, Neb. — A doctor at Kearney Regional Medical Center is bringing a new heart treatment to the area.

The hospital announced Thursday that electrophysiologist Dr. Brian Kim and his team successfully implanted the first FDA-Approved Dual Chamber Leadless Pacemaker in the Kearney area. The procedure was used to treat a patient with symptomatic slow heart rate.

A news release says a conventional pacemaker with an implanted pulse generator is traditionally used to treat this type of condition. Those devices are secured to the heart with small screws, which can cause scar tissue and long-term negative effects.

The release says the dual-chamber leadless pacemaker system consists of two devices implanted through a vein in the groin, one in the right atrium of the heart, and one in the right ventricle. 

Kim says the patient who received the leadless pacemaker did great.

“He was discharged home the same day after six hours of bedrest," Kim said. "He experienced no downtime, could drive, and even go back to work or play contact sports the next day.”

In contrast, the release says patients who receive a traditional pacemaker will have limited mobility and will require an arm sling for two weeks.

Kim started at Kearney Regional in June. He was the first physician in the Western United States to implant the Dual Chamber Leadless Pacemaker while previous practicing in a hospital in California.